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Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words
Drawing on historical documents and exclusive interviews, authors tell the inspiring story of Clarence Thomas's rise from a childhood of poverty and prejudice in the segregated South to Supreme Court Justice. Companion to blockbuster documentary Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, but a fascinating stand alone read, as well!
*The full story behind the wildly successful documentary film, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words*
Born into dire poverty in the segregated South and abandoned by his father as a child, Justice Clarence Thomas triumphed over seemingly insurmountable odds to become one of the most influential justices on the Supreme Court. Yet after three decades of honorable service, few know him beyond his contentious confirmation and the surrounding media firestorm.
Who is Justice Clarence Thomas, in his own words?
In the follow-up to the wildly successful documentary by the same name, Created Equal builds on dozens of hours of groundbreaking, one-on-one interviews with Thomas to share a new, expanded account of his powerful story for the first time.
Producer Michael Pack and Mark Paoletta, a lawyer who worked alongside Thomas during his confirmation, dive deep into the Justice’s story. Drawing on a rich array of historical documents and unreleased conversations with Thomas, his wife, and those who knew him best, Created Equal is a timeless account of faith, race, power, and personal resilience.
*The full story behind the wildly successful documentary film, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words*
Born into dire poverty in the segregated South and abandoned by his father as a child, Justice Clarence Thomas triumphed over seemingly insurmountable odds to become one of the most influential justices on the Supreme Court. Yet after three decades of honorable service, few know him beyond his contentious confirmation and the surrounding media firestorm.
Who is Justice Clarence Thomas, in his own words?
In the follow-up to the wildly successful documentary by the same name, Created Equal builds on dozens of hours of groundbreaking, one-on-one interviews with Thomas to share a new, expanded account of his powerful story for the first time.
Producer Michael Pack and Mark Paoletta, a lawyer who worked alongside Thomas during his confirmation, dive deep into the Justice’s story. Drawing on a rich array of historical documents and unreleased conversations with Thomas, his wife, and those who knew him best, Created Equal is a timeless account of faith, race, power, and personal resilience.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2022
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302 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 26, 2022
This is an excellent book! I love this man! He is my favorite Justice. You will learn a lot about his life and the man he is today. His grandfather would be SO PROUD!
October 24, 2022
A fascinating man, a fascinating biography
September 14, 2022
A stunning book! Two thumbs up!
July 27, 2022
Do you remember Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court hearings in 1991? I do; it was one of my first years teaching and I remember watching the hearings after getting home from work. I would listen to Anita Hill and think she sounded reasonable. Then I listened to Thomas and thought he seemed reasonable.
Fast-forward thirty years, and as we know Thomas is now on the court. He’s become a favorite justice of mine (wow, sounds pretty nerdy). He seems very thoughtful and like a dedicated defender of the Constitution, which I appreciate. So, when I saw a biography of him come out, I was interested in reading it.
"Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words" was an excellent book. It is written in the format of interviews with Thomas, and follows him throughout his life. Thomas was born in 1948 near Savannah, Georgia. Early on, his grandparents took him and his brother in, when their single mom struggled to raise them. One interesting point Thomas made was that rural poverty, as experienced with his grandparents, was very livable, while his mother’s urban poverty with its squalor was awful. Clarence and his brother each put all their belongings into a paper bag and walked from their mom’s to their grandparents’ to live: “the longest and most significant journey I ever made because it changed my entire life.”
His grandpa was the major figure in his life; he was an uneducated man but was very strict with the boys, insisting on them getting an education and working hard. Each morning, his grandpa would leave two nickels on the table, so Clarence and his brother could each buy milk at school. “He would leave it every single morning. It would almost bring tears to your eyes.” Their grandma was very sweet and urged grandpa to go easier on the boys, but that didn’t happen. When she suggested that he pay them a dollar for every A, he responded, “No, I pay the tuition. Their job is to get an A.”
Thomas loved the library in his town, and speaks fondly of the local librarians, who introduced him to authors Ralph Ellison and Ayn Rand. He also loved “his nuns” at his Catholic schools. He speaks of the value of learning to delay gratification and take “the longer view,” something I agree with totally. Years ago in a MOPS group meeting, we were to go around the table and say what we most wished for our kids. Most moms said “happiness,” but when I said “the ability to delay gratification,” most of them looked at me like I was nuts. I think it’s so rare though, yet so important in many ways, to be able to look at the big picture and put off what sounds good at the moment in order to benefit in the long run. I’m glad Thomas and I agree here 🙂 “Summers were spent planting, the longer view. Raising a hog or chicken, the longer view. The whole life was to take a longer view, to prepare for the rainy day, to prepare for the future, to think ahead.”
Thomas does well in school, and ends up at Yale Law School. He speaks of the strange feeling of increasingly living in a different world from his grandparents. I remember feeling the same way when I went to college. It was strange that my parents could no longer relate to my day-to-day life, as they always had before. Thomas became liberal in ideology and stopped attending the Catholic church that had greatly informed his youth.
After law school, Thomas’ only job offer was to work for Missouri Attorney General Jack Danforth. “The hardest thing about taking the job was that he was a Republican, and the idea of working for a Republican was repulsive, at best.” Over the years, he ends up in Washington, working for the Department of Education and the EEOC. He becomes more conservative/libertarian in his views, and notices that others treat him worse when his views change. A big theme in the book is the way the media and government officials like Blacks as long as the Blacks keep what they deem “acceptable” views. Once they express different opinions, the media goes after them with a vengeance. “The liberals are writing the books. That’s just the way it works.” “I just found it fascinating, to have gone to all-black schools, all-white schools, in the South, and at no time being subjected to the kind of things that happened in the Northeast, and among the elite … Defamation would come from people who were self-proclaimed “tolerant” people.” He noticed the destructive habits of the DC media: when he was new at the EEOC, one reporter told him, “I just want you to know that nothing that you do that is positive here is newsworthy.” He mentions throughout life thinking that his biggest issues would be the rural sheriff or the Klansman, but it turned out to be “the modern day liberal. They were the ones who would discount all those things because they have one issue, or because they have the authority, the power to caricature you.”
Thomas married in his 20s and had a son, Jamal. He and his wife divorced, and later he met and married his current wife, Virginia “Ginni.” He seems very sweet, speaking so kindly of her and she of him. She was from Nebraska, and he, a sports fan, decided then to become a fan of Nebraska teams. Early in their marriage, he was nominated to the Supreme Court by President George Bush. This came as a big surprise to him. He talks of preparing for his hearings, and how those helping would never ask him about Roe v. Wade since they knew that would come up, and they wanted him to honestly say he hadn’t been asked/prepared about that topic ahead of time. The grueling hearings took 8 days and the Thomases were relieved when they ended. He speaks of Joe Biden, who was in charge of the hearings. Biden had called Thomas and said he would be his biggest supporter, etc — which did not end up happening in real life.
After the hearings, the FBI visited Thomas and told him an accusation had been made against him, and that hearings would need to continue. They told him that Anita Hill had made the accusations, and Thomas was confused since he had gotten Hill a job as a favor to her and wasn’t aware of any grievance she might have. He was not told what her accusations were, and he mentions how troubling it was to go into a hearing (on national TV), not knowing what was being alleged against him. It makes me stressed just thinking about it!
Thomas realizes that the media and liberals wanted to take down his nomination, and that they were using Anita Hill to do it. He was extremely angry about this, because “what they did was wrong. If you want to say, ‘Look, I disagree with you on this.’ That’s honest … but not this way. This is wrong.” You could really feel Thomas’ anger throughout this part of the book, and I felt bad for him. He was so emotionally destroyed at the end of the hearings that his reaction to being formally confirmed was “Woop de doo.” At that point he honestly didn’t even care about the Supreme Court job. He was upset that his reputation, built through a lifetime, had been damaged. He mentions the praise heaped on President Obama as a black, but points out his observation that there are “different rules for different people. If you criticize certain people, you’re a racist, you’re sexist, you’re a homophobe. If you criticize a black person who’s more liberal, you are racist. Whereas you can do whatever to me, or to now Ben Carson, and that’s fine because you’re not really black, because you’re not doing what they expect black people to do. That’s just he way it is.” How sad.
Thomas speaks about his frustration as a black man with many of the federal government’s policies toward blacks, ostensibly to be helpful. For instance, he posits that building housing developments for low-income blacks is not helpful, nor are programs getting more blacks into colleges where many are not qualified and will ultimately fail. Asked why the feds keep trying such policies, he suggests that they feel good about themselves since they publicly appear to be “helping,” regardless of the unintended consequences they create.
The Thomases have a large bus that they use to travel the US. Unlike many other justices who vacation in Europe, etc., they “prefer seeing the regular parts of the US … I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. There’s something normal to me about it. I come from regular stock, and I prefer being around that.” There are several tales told about the Thomases visiting with others in RV parks, and never revealing their true identity to those people.
The final chapter is an interview with Ginni Thomas. That was enjoyable too. I respect Justice Thomas even more after reading this book. I enjoyed it a lot, and would recommend it.
Fast-forward thirty years, and as we know Thomas is now on the court. He’s become a favorite justice of mine (wow, sounds pretty nerdy). He seems very thoughtful and like a dedicated defender of the Constitution, which I appreciate. So, when I saw a biography of him come out, I was interested in reading it.
"Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words" was an excellent book. It is written in the format of interviews with Thomas, and follows him throughout his life. Thomas was born in 1948 near Savannah, Georgia. Early on, his grandparents took him and his brother in, when their single mom struggled to raise them. One interesting point Thomas made was that rural poverty, as experienced with his grandparents, was very livable, while his mother’s urban poverty with its squalor was awful. Clarence and his brother each put all their belongings into a paper bag and walked from their mom’s to their grandparents’ to live: “the longest and most significant journey I ever made because it changed my entire life.”
His grandpa was the major figure in his life; he was an uneducated man but was very strict with the boys, insisting on them getting an education and working hard. Each morning, his grandpa would leave two nickels on the table, so Clarence and his brother could each buy milk at school. “He would leave it every single morning. It would almost bring tears to your eyes.” Their grandma was very sweet and urged grandpa to go easier on the boys, but that didn’t happen. When she suggested that he pay them a dollar for every A, he responded, “No, I pay the tuition. Their job is to get an A.”
Thomas loved the library in his town, and speaks fondly of the local librarians, who introduced him to authors Ralph Ellison and Ayn Rand. He also loved “his nuns” at his Catholic schools. He speaks of the value of learning to delay gratification and take “the longer view,” something I agree with totally. Years ago in a MOPS group meeting, we were to go around the table and say what we most wished for our kids. Most moms said “happiness,” but when I said “the ability to delay gratification,” most of them looked at me like I was nuts. I think it’s so rare though, yet so important in many ways, to be able to look at the big picture and put off what sounds good at the moment in order to benefit in the long run. I’m glad Thomas and I agree here 🙂 “Summers were spent planting, the longer view. Raising a hog or chicken, the longer view. The whole life was to take a longer view, to prepare for the rainy day, to prepare for the future, to think ahead.”
Thomas does well in school, and ends up at Yale Law School. He speaks of the strange feeling of increasingly living in a different world from his grandparents. I remember feeling the same way when I went to college. It was strange that my parents could no longer relate to my day-to-day life, as they always had before. Thomas became liberal in ideology and stopped attending the Catholic church that had greatly informed his youth.
After law school, Thomas’ only job offer was to work for Missouri Attorney General Jack Danforth. “The hardest thing about taking the job was that he was a Republican, and the idea of working for a Republican was repulsive, at best.” Over the years, he ends up in Washington, working for the Department of Education and the EEOC. He becomes more conservative/libertarian in his views, and notices that others treat him worse when his views change. A big theme in the book is the way the media and government officials like Blacks as long as the Blacks keep what they deem “acceptable” views. Once they express different opinions, the media goes after them with a vengeance. “The liberals are writing the books. That’s just the way it works.” “I just found it fascinating, to have gone to all-black schools, all-white schools, in the South, and at no time being subjected to the kind of things that happened in the Northeast, and among the elite … Defamation would come from people who were self-proclaimed “tolerant” people.” He noticed the destructive habits of the DC media: when he was new at the EEOC, one reporter told him, “I just want you to know that nothing that you do that is positive here is newsworthy.” He mentions throughout life thinking that his biggest issues would be the rural sheriff or the Klansman, but it turned out to be “the modern day liberal. They were the ones who would discount all those things because they have one issue, or because they have the authority, the power to caricature you.”
Thomas married in his 20s and had a son, Jamal. He and his wife divorced, and later he met and married his current wife, Virginia “Ginni.” He seems very sweet, speaking so kindly of her and she of him. She was from Nebraska, and he, a sports fan, decided then to become a fan of Nebraska teams. Early in their marriage, he was nominated to the Supreme Court by President George Bush. This came as a big surprise to him. He talks of preparing for his hearings, and how those helping would never ask him about Roe v. Wade since they knew that would come up, and they wanted him to honestly say he hadn’t been asked/prepared about that topic ahead of time. The grueling hearings took 8 days and the Thomases were relieved when they ended. He speaks of Joe Biden, who was in charge of the hearings. Biden had called Thomas and said he would be his biggest supporter, etc — which did not end up happening in real life.
After the hearings, the FBI visited Thomas and told him an accusation had been made against him, and that hearings would need to continue. They told him that Anita Hill had made the accusations, and Thomas was confused since he had gotten Hill a job as a favor to her and wasn’t aware of any grievance she might have. He was not told what her accusations were, and he mentions how troubling it was to go into a hearing (on national TV), not knowing what was being alleged against him. It makes me stressed just thinking about it!
Thomas realizes that the media and liberals wanted to take down his nomination, and that they were using Anita Hill to do it. He was extremely angry about this, because “what they did was wrong. If you want to say, ‘Look, I disagree with you on this.’ That’s honest … but not this way. This is wrong.” You could really feel Thomas’ anger throughout this part of the book, and I felt bad for him. He was so emotionally destroyed at the end of the hearings that his reaction to being formally confirmed was “Woop de doo.” At that point he honestly didn’t even care about the Supreme Court job. He was upset that his reputation, built through a lifetime, had been damaged. He mentions the praise heaped on President Obama as a black, but points out his observation that there are “different rules for different people. If you criticize certain people, you’re a racist, you’re sexist, you’re a homophobe. If you criticize a black person who’s more liberal, you are racist. Whereas you can do whatever to me, or to now Ben Carson, and that’s fine because you’re not really black, because you’re not doing what they expect black people to do. That’s just he way it is.” How sad.
Thomas speaks about his frustration as a black man with many of the federal government’s policies toward blacks, ostensibly to be helpful. For instance, he posits that building housing developments for low-income blacks is not helpful, nor are programs getting more blacks into colleges where many are not qualified and will ultimately fail. Asked why the feds keep trying such policies, he suggests that they feel good about themselves since they publicly appear to be “helping,” regardless of the unintended consequences they create.
The Thomases have a large bus that they use to travel the US. Unlike many other justices who vacation in Europe, etc., they “prefer seeing the regular parts of the US … I prefer the Walmart parking lots to the beaches and things like that. There’s something normal to me about it. I come from regular stock, and I prefer being around that.” There are several tales told about the Thomases visiting with others in RV parks, and never revealing their true identity to those people.
The final chapter is an interview with Ginni Thomas. That was enjoyable too. I respect Justice Thomas even more after reading this book. I enjoyed it a lot, and would recommend it.
June 29, 2023
Fascinating read about a great American hero, Clarence Thomas.
September 3, 2022
Most biographies lay out a person's life from birth to present while covering all the big points and lesser known events of a person's life in order to give you a more complete version of a person. Autobiographies do the same thing but from that person's perspective and you get a more focused and individual, singular perspective. This book blends the in an interview setting while allowing a person to skip around to areas of interest or read straight through. I read straight through in one sitting.
The style is done in interview-style Q&A but it doesn't read like a stale response and doesn't operate in a gotcha-style we're used to seeing in journalism these days. It also doesn't shy away from focusing on big events that might be embarrassing (like the Anita Hill scandal). But it's also nice that it doesn't linger on salacious moments that could have been part of Thomas' life (if there was any).
I was really impressed with Thomas' upbringing and shows a different attitude of America and Americans than we see today. Thomas goes through his life from a poor and segregated early life to going to seminary to being a leftest radical to going to law school and being converted away from leftistism by the great Thomas Sowell. It was a lot of information that I hadn't heard about before as the attack on Thomas by the left since the early 90's wouldn't only bring him up as a race traitor which just meant he held right(ish) political beliefs. Of course the book goes into his life in politics, his confirmation and the debacle that was, and his time of the bench. What we see in politics today in America is interesting to see that it's been the same ol' rhetoric with the same vying for power with no intention of doing the right thing.
There are a few downsides to this section of the book that the interviewer could have maybe helped along in some asides to his questions. There are some topics that are law or Constitution-specific that may not be of immediate recall to the reader. Now, those topics are easy enough to do a web search about and you get the jist of what they're talking about. But the interviewer also doesn't contrast Thomas' views to those judges on the left or even politicians who are passing these laws (understandable why one wouldn't want to talk about his 8 closest co-workers. In fact, there is little focus on Thomas' bench rulings other than his relationship to the other judges including with his well known friendship with Scalia. I guess one could say his written opinions talk about what he actually thinks but you only get a sense of what he believes concerning what comes before him. For example, he talks about Scalia and him differing on 4th amendment cases. The law nerds would love to read more about that conversation with the interviewer and Thomas. It's too bad that section was so short.
While Thomas' Catholic upbringing are clear throughout the book, digging deeper into his religious beliefs isn't done enough. When he divorces his first wife or when he marries a non-Catholic second wife or what he actually believes about God isn't really brought up. He talks about the structure the RCC gave to him and his brother (and his grandfather) and there are times when he mentions prayer and God but this would have also been an interesting compare and contrast with today's world vs. even 50 years ago, especially in Catholic culture.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the style it was written in. Most of the biographies I read could stand to let their living subjects talk out their story of their life with an interviewer guide. Thomas' ideas of libertarianism and Ayn Rand and Thomas Sowell were personal highlights and it's interesting to see how a classical Republican like Thomas parallels with a radical freedom/liberty libertarian Republican like Ron Paul.
I don't feel like Thomas was untrustworthy during the interviews but not really sure what that would look like. The author/interviewer does a good job of structuring the book as both a highlight thumb-through and/or a straightforward read. There are areas where he repeats or moves a section of Q&A to lend to that structure so a straight readthrough might have points of re-read but they're not excessive. This was a really enjoyable book. Final Grade - A
The style is done in interview-style Q&A but it doesn't read like a stale response and doesn't operate in a gotcha-style we're used to seeing in journalism these days. It also doesn't shy away from focusing on big events that might be embarrassing (like the Anita Hill scandal). But it's also nice that it doesn't linger on salacious moments that could have been part of Thomas' life (if there was any).
I was really impressed with Thomas' upbringing and shows a different attitude of America and Americans than we see today. Thomas goes through his life from a poor and segregated early life to going to seminary to being a leftest radical to going to law school and being converted away from leftistism by the great Thomas Sowell. It was a lot of information that I hadn't heard about before as the attack on Thomas by the left since the early 90's wouldn't only bring him up as a race traitor which just meant he held right(ish) political beliefs. Of course the book goes into his life in politics, his confirmation and the debacle that was, and his time of the bench. What we see in politics today in America is interesting to see that it's been the same ol' rhetoric with the same vying for power with no intention of doing the right thing.
There are a few downsides to this section of the book that the interviewer could have maybe helped along in some asides to his questions. There are some topics that are law or Constitution-specific that may not be of immediate recall to the reader. Now, those topics are easy enough to do a web search about and you get the jist of what they're talking about. But the interviewer also doesn't contrast Thomas' views to those judges on the left or even politicians who are passing these laws (understandable why one wouldn't want to talk about his 8 closest co-workers. In fact, there is little focus on Thomas' bench rulings other than his relationship to the other judges including with his well known friendship with Scalia. I guess one could say his written opinions talk about what he actually thinks but you only get a sense of what he believes concerning what comes before him. For example, he talks about Scalia and him differing on 4th amendment cases. The law nerds would love to read more about that conversation with the interviewer and Thomas. It's too bad that section was so short.
While Thomas' Catholic upbringing are clear throughout the book, digging deeper into his religious beliefs isn't done enough. When he divorces his first wife or when he marries a non-Catholic second wife or what he actually believes about God isn't really brought up. He talks about the structure the RCC gave to him and his brother (and his grandfather) and there are times when he mentions prayer and God but this would have also been an interesting compare and contrast with today's world vs. even 50 years ago, especially in Catholic culture.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the style it was written in. Most of the biographies I read could stand to let their living subjects talk out their story of their life with an interviewer guide. Thomas' ideas of libertarianism and Ayn Rand and Thomas Sowell were personal highlights and it's interesting to see how a classical Republican like Thomas parallels with a radical freedom/liberty libertarian Republican like Ron Paul.
I don't feel like Thomas was untrustworthy during the interviews but not really sure what that would look like. The author/interviewer does a good job of structuring the book as both a highlight thumb-through and/or a straightforward read. There are areas where he repeats or moves a section of Q&A to lend to that structure so a straight readthrough might have points of re-read but they're not excessive. This was a really enjoyable book. Final Grade - A
July 17, 2022
I wouldn't recommend this book.
'Created Equal' isn't a bad book, depending on your perspective. If you want to begin to learn more who Clarence Thomas is, this is a good book. If you are hoping it will be what the editor Michael Pack said it would be in his introduction, it falls short.
'Created Equal' is an expansion of the documentary by the same name. Your impressions of if the book delivers might change if you have seen the documentary as it might provide details you don't get with the text. I have not seen the documentary so my review is based on the text alone. In the introduction, Pack says 'Created Equal' will provide the reader with the insight that is difficult to achieve in a two hour documentary. It does provide insight but often remains on the surface.
The structure of the book is Pack interviewing Thomas about his life. The reader learns a great deal about Thomas's upbringing and his formative years from his childhood through adulthood. If Pack asked a question, Thomas answered it thoughtfully and candidly. That said, Thomas's responses were limited by the questions he was asked so when there were pivotal moments in his life, the reader is dependent on Pack to probe deeper for better (proper?) insight. For instance, Thomas's decision to become a registered Republican. In the chapter, I thought Thomas made it clear the issues he had with Liberalism but he never made an affirmative defense for why he became a Republican. Up to this point in the book, Thomas made it clear he was an independent thinker. Did Thomas only think he had two options - Democrat or Republican? To add an extra layer of complexity, you learn about his libertarian perspective during his college years. I wish Pack had followed up with Thomas by asking him, 'I understand why you would not register as a Democrat but what appealed to you about the Republican party over other parties?' Thomas does say he thinks differently but never explained what that actually means and it's connection to the Republican party. I wonder if he was hoping Pack would help flesh that out by following-up on the matter.
It wasn't just pivotal points in Thomas's life I thought Pack failed to follow-up on. Thomas makes a few inflammatory statements that come out of nowhere. Example: liberals hated the idea that he was in an interracial marriage. Doesn't a statement like that merit a 'why?' Maybe Pack didn't think so because Thomas mentioned repeatedly that liberals and the 'educated elite' often bullied and targeted him for his beliefs. That's my assumption but Pack could have followed up on the remark so the reader could know definitively if that was the answer.
During the last quarter of the book, they discuss Thomas's approach to judiciating. You'll get a good understanding about how Thomas approaches a case. My issue again is not with Thomas but with Pack and his placement of the topic in the book. It comes right after the multiple citations by Thomas of him being persecuted for his belief system. Why doesn't Pack ask Thomas how is he able to compartmentalize those feelings when on the court? Again, assumptions could be made why but it's not the reader's responsibility to make them, especially when the text is biographical in nature.
I meant it when I wrote 'Created Equal' is not a bad book. In fact, I'd recommend it if you just want to read a longform interview with Clarence Thomas. Pack deserves credit for helping to facilitate that conversation but he also deserves criticism for not adhering to his objective for his book. Clarence Thomas said that he believed getting a 98% on a test would be considered "blowing it." Pack blew it (more than 2% of the time) by not consistently providing deeper insight into who Thomas is, and as such, leaves some readers feeling frustrated and wanting more.
(2.5 stars)
'Created Equal' isn't a bad book, depending on your perspective. If you want to begin to learn more who Clarence Thomas is, this is a good book. If you are hoping it will be what the editor Michael Pack said it would be in his introduction, it falls short.
'Created Equal' is an expansion of the documentary by the same name. Your impressions of if the book delivers might change if you have seen the documentary as it might provide details you don't get with the text. I have not seen the documentary so my review is based on the text alone. In the introduction, Pack says 'Created Equal' will provide the reader with the insight that is difficult to achieve in a two hour documentary. It does provide insight but often remains on the surface.
The structure of the book is Pack interviewing Thomas about his life. The reader learns a great deal about Thomas's upbringing and his formative years from his childhood through adulthood. If Pack asked a question, Thomas answered it thoughtfully and candidly. That said, Thomas's responses were limited by the questions he was asked so when there were pivotal moments in his life, the reader is dependent on Pack to probe deeper for better (proper?) insight. For instance, Thomas's decision to become a registered Republican. In the chapter, I thought Thomas made it clear the issues he had with Liberalism but he never made an affirmative defense for why he became a Republican. Up to this point in the book, Thomas made it clear he was an independent thinker. Did Thomas only think he had two options - Democrat or Republican? To add an extra layer of complexity, you learn about his libertarian perspective during his college years. I wish Pack had followed up with Thomas by asking him, 'I understand why you would not register as a Democrat but what appealed to you about the Republican party over other parties?' Thomas does say he thinks differently but never explained what that actually means and it's connection to the Republican party. I wonder if he was hoping Pack would help flesh that out by following-up on the matter.
It wasn't just pivotal points in Thomas's life I thought Pack failed to follow-up on. Thomas makes a few inflammatory statements that come out of nowhere. Example: liberals hated the idea that he was in an interracial marriage. Doesn't a statement like that merit a 'why?' Maybe Pack didn't think so because Thomas mentioned repeatedly that liberals and the 'educated elite' often bullied and targeted him for his beliefs. That's my assumption but Pack could have followed up on the remark so the reader could know definitively if that was the answer.
During the last quarter of the book, they discuss Thomas's approach to judiciating. You'll get a good understanding about how Thomas approaches a case. My issue again is not with Thomas but with Pack and his placement of the topic in the book. It comes right after the multiple citations by Thomas of him being persecuted for his belief system. Why doesn't Pack ask Thomas how is he able to compartmentalize those feelings when on the court? Again, assumptions could be made why but it's not the reader's responsibility to make them, especially when the text is biographical in nature.
I meant it when I wrote 'Created Equal' is not a bad book. In fact, I'd recommend it if you just want to read a longform interview with Clarence Thomas. Pack deserves credit for helping to facilitate that conversation but he also deserves criticism for not adhering to his objective for his book. Clarence Thomas said that he believed getting a 98% on a test would be considered "blowing it." Pack blew it (more than 2% of the time) by not consistently providing deeper insight into who Thomas is, and as such, leaves some readers feeling frustrated and wanting more.
(2.5 stars)
June 15, 2023
An outstanding book about an outstanding man, I cannot recommend Created Equal highly enough. Michael Pack and Mark Paoletta had amazing access to Justice Thomas and his wife along with the huge amount of research they put together on this man they both know well. The book mostly takes an interview format, though it's an actor playing the Clarence Thomas role. We learn of his difficult early life and his tough but wise and fair grandfather who played such a seminal role in his life. We also learn the depth of Thomas' commitment to the Constitution and doing what the law says, not what we'd like it to say. Justice homas plays an outsized role on todays' Supreme Court and if you want to understand this amazing man, this book is an extraordinary guide.
July 1, 2022
Definitely worth reading... A real in depth look at Clarence Thomas' upbringing, intellect, and outlook on life. Looking at the current administration and the insanity, Justice Thomas is refreshing... Sadly, he is still a target but thankfully he is still standing his ground and making decisions based on Constitutional Law and not swayed by the cartel
Some of the things he says that are food for thought
"People are interested in what they want and not what is right"
"The citizens are going to lose their liberties"
"The obligation of the citizens is to know their liberties
Not what is said by some half informed person on TV"
Some of the things he says that are food for thought
"People are interested in what they want and not what is right"
"The citizens are going to lose their liberties"
"The obligation of the citizens is to know their liberties
Not what is said by some half informed person on TV"
June 11, 2025
Who doesn't want to read the story of the life of the reader's favorite Supreme Court Justice? Seriously this is an interesting 1st person history by interview and I understand there's a movie which only tells a fraction of what this book tells. So, read this book.
July 2, 2022
Absolutely amazing and a great, great book
My wife and I had the honor of being with Justice Thomas and Ginny on several occasions and it was a treat. He is an affable and gregarious man and Ginny is as nice as they come. This book gives everyone a real picture of the man: humble, learned and grounded. God Bless the Thomas’.
My wife and I had the honor of being with Justice Thomas and Ginny on several occasions and it was a treat. He is an affable and gregarious man and Ginny is as nice as they come. This book gives everyone a real picture of the man: humble, learned and grounded. God Bless the Thomas’.
September 23, 2022
I loved this book, which is basically a transcription of interviews with Clarence Thomas by the producers of the documentary “Created Equal” (also highly recommended). Clarence Thomas is one of my heroes.
Quotes:
“My grandparents, when they took us in in 1955, what they did was supply hope… And people think it’s just education, it’s just food. It was more than that, and they understood that. They understood that you needed the things of life-- work ethic, self-discipline, a set of morals, to get through life. And they supplied them… These were poor black people in the Deep South, but they had figured out the essentials of life. It was their victory. They had won. They had been proven right.”
“I’ve lived through segregation. Now, it’s diversity. I think people should be asked to show what it has produced. We have done some damage in our society, particularly to the people who could least afford the damage… They shut down schools in the name of integration… They irreparably changed the black teaching profession, and these policies irreparably changed our communities.”
The women in the movie Hidden Figures were more like the people around me. You always had those people, exceptional people, around, people who were just brilliant, and they were black. Suddenly they turned us all into helpless victims. I don’t think creating that attitude is good, that sense of a permanent victim status, like we’re serfs or something. I don’t think it’s good now, and I think it’s counterfactual and ahistorical.”
“If we keep it up, we’re going to look around and someone will say, ‘I want my constitutional rights,’ and they’ll be told, ‘We have no Constitution.’ I think we have to be really, really careful…
We’re running the risk of one day not having a Constitution, and hence not having a country. We’re going to pay a price. People forget what happened to the great empires of the world: the Ottoman Empire, gone, fragmented; the Habsburg Empire; the Roman Empire. And the one thing that we have is this long-lasting written constitution, that should be, for us, like the Holy Grail: to be protected. Our desires don’t amend the Constitution, that’s the touchstone for everything. It allows us to live in a free society, but it doesn’t guarantee us the best position in that free society.”
“The Constitution guarantees liberty. Now liberty gives you the liberty to succeed, liberty to fail, liberty to be mediocre, liberty to be outstanding. It doesn’t guarantee either, but it does guarantee your right that the government isn’t going to tell you what to do every day.”
“I think we’ve pushed free will aside, and we’ve pushed aside people’s right to fail… You can’t assure people that they’re going to be successful. You can give people security, but it comes at the expense of liberty.”
“If you criticize a black person who’s more liberal, you are racist. Whereas you can do whatever to me… and that’s fine because you’re not really black, because you’re not doing what we expect black people to do. That’s just the way it is.”
Quotes:
“My grandparents, when they took us in in 1955, what they did was supply hope… And people think it’s just education, it’s just food. It was more than that, and they understood that. They understood that you needed the things of life-- work ethic, self-discipline, a set of morals, to get through life. And they supplied them… These were poor black people in the Deep South, but they had figured out the essentials of life. It was their victory. They had won. They had been proven right.”
“I’ve lived through segregation. Now, it’s diversity. I think people should be asked to show what it has produced. We have done some damage in our society, particularly to the people who could least afford the damage… They shut down schools in the name of integration… They irreparably changed the black teaching profession, and these policies irreparably changed our communities.”
The women in the movie Hidden Figures were more like the people around me. You always had those people, exceptional people, around, people who were just brilliant, and they were black. Suddenly they turned us all into helpless victims. I don’t think creating that attitude is good, that sense of a permanent victim status, like we’re serfs or something. I don’t think it’s good now, and I think it’s counterfactual and ahistorical.”
“If we keep it up, we’re going to look around and someone will say, ‘I want my constitutional rights,’ and they’ll be told, ‘We have no Constitution.’ I think we have to be really, really careful…
We’re running the risk of one day not having a Constitution, and hence not having a country. We’re going to pay a price. People forget what happened to the great empires of the world: the Ottoman Empire, gone, fragmented; the Habsburg Empire; the Roman Empire. And the one thing that we have is this long-lasting written constitution, that should be, for us, like the Holy Grail: to be protected. Our desires don’t amend the Constitution, that’s the touchstone for everything. It allows us to live in a free society, but it doesn’t guarantee us the best position in that free society.”
“The Constitution guarantees liberty. Now liberty gives you the liberty to succeed, liberty to fail, liberty to be mediocre, liberty to be outstanding. It doesn’t guarantee either, but it does guarantee your right that the government isn’t going to tell you what to do every day.”
“I think we’ve pushed free will aside, and we’ve pushed aside people’s right to fail… You can’t assure people that they’re going to be successful. You can give people security, but it comes at the expense of liberty.”
“If you criticize a black person who’s more liberal, you are racist. Whereas you can do whatever to me… and that’s fine because you’re not really black, because you’re not doing what we expect black people to do. That’s just the way it is.”
January 29, 2023
I was prompted to read this biography/interview after watching the documentary film by the same name which was broadcast by PBS in 2020. My impression of Clarence Thomas was already favorable, but I did not fully appreciate his origins and progress from childhood in an impoverished rural region of Georgia, raised by his grandparents from a very young age after his father abandoned the family, to manhood and ultimately the Supreme Court of the USA. My esteem for the man increased greatly in watching him and listening to his words as he described his difficult journey. He doesn't minimize or over exaggerate those difficulties; he describes them as he saw them, acknowledging that some were good and some were bad, but all served to enlarge his experience and impart understanding of the world around him.
The film was great, but there is a limit to what can be packed into the time limits of a standard length video documentary. When I became aware of this book, that it included much more material than could be fit into the film, I procured a copy and started to read. I was pleased that the book was a great sequel to the film. The tone and delivery is consistent between the film and the book, but the reader gets an amplified characterization of Judge Thomas through his expanded viewpoints on early childhood, adolescence, the young adult years, his early career positions and, finally, his nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court bench.
Thomas' inside view of what went on during the hearings at the Senate Committee, presided over by then Senator Joseph Biden, when Thomas was accused by Anita Hill of sexual harassment, was particularly enlightening. The C-Span coverage of those hearings conveys the indignation of Judge Thomas in responding to those accusations, but the book makes it more clear just how angry and disappointed Thomas was about the betrayal of his assumed friendship with Hill and the conspiracy of some Senators and political foes who were willing to lie in order to prevent a conservative black man from sitting on the Supreme Court bench.
The book goes into substantial depth in explaining how Thomas' life experiences and perceptions led him to a strong allegiance to the principles, framework and direction of the US Constitution. His explanations for why the Constitution should be a steady guiding reference for the court are convincing. It was interesting to read his explanations for how the court proceeds in selecting and resolving the cases addressed by the court. Thomas never demeans or criticizes the character of the other justices. His focus is on his own views and convictions. I came to the conclusion of the book with a sense that Clarence Thomas was destined to be a Supreme Court Justice by the course of his life and experiences and is one of the best public servants to the citizens of the USA.
The film was great, but there is a limit to what can be packed into the time limits of a standard length video documentary. When I became aware of this book, that it included much more material than could be fit into the film, I procured a copy and started to read. I was pleased that the book was a great sequel to the film. The tone and delivery is consistent between the film and the book, but the reader gets an amplified characterization of Judge Thomas through his expanded viewpoints on early childhood, adolescence, the young adult years, his early career positions and, finally, his nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court bench.
Thomas' inside view of what went on during the hearings at the Senate Committee, presided over by then Senator Joseph Biden, when Thomas was accused by Anita Hill of sexual harassment, was particularly enlightening. The C-Span coverage of those hearings conveys the indignation of Judge Thomas in responding to those accusations, but the book makes it more clear just how angry and disappointed Thomas was about the betrayal of his assumed friendship with Hill and the conspiracy of some Senators and political foes who were willing to lie in order to prevent a conservative black man from sitting on the Supreme Court bench.
The book goes into substantial depth in explaining how Thomas' life experiences and perceptions led him to a strong allegiance to the principles, framework and direction of the US Constitution. His explanations for why the Constitution should be a steady guiding reference for the court are convincing. It was interesting to read his explanations for how the court proceeds in selecting and resolving the cases addressed by the court. Thomas never demeans or criticizes the character of the other justices. His focus is on his own views and convictions. I came to the conclusion of the book with a sense that Clarence Thomas was destined to be a Supreme Court Justice by the course of his life and experiences and is one of the best public servants to the citizens of the USA.
May 5, 2024
History has always been more generous in shining the spotlight with praise or condemnation upon the executive and, in some cases, the legislative branches. But on the judiciary, there is next to none except when a Justice retires and a new one is called to take their place. Clarence Thomas is one of those justices who have had the spotlight shine upon him, mostly for condemnation and praise. I am one of those who shine on the latter and appreciate this long overdue documentary in his own words.
Clarence Thomas is a US Supreme Court Justice legendary for his appointment in the 1990s during the reign of President George H.W. Bush. Almost immediately his appointment was regarded with controversy because he remains a strong conservative. A country built upon white and affluent has produced a mistaken belief that anyone who is not of that mold must be a liberal. Clarence Thomas was a black man who grew up poor but under the strong disciplined nature of his loving grandparents as well as the rise of conservative politics in the 1970s and 1980s had Clarence go on a different path that had him end up becoming one of the most conservative voices of the US Federal courts system. But things got worse almost overnight when accusations of sexual harassment by a former colleague named Anita Hill threatened to deny him his place in history. But that same dignity that he inherited from his family, his friends, and the American people supported him to withstand the critics and the majority of the Senate to become the second black US Supreme Court Justice.
But this biography isn't just about the scandal, it's about the rest of his life from being born to a hard-working mother who sent him to live with his grandparents to a man who tried and failed one form of life and became imbittered by the liberal activism of his era. Racism is an ugly part of humanity, but one must never adhere to what is simply popular and easy. You must hold out, and never lose sight that this is a great country and that through faith and hard work, anything is possible.
But more than just the history I loved reading about Clarence Thomas not as the Justice but as the man who loves his wife, Virginia, his vacations traveling around the country, his view on natural law, and of course his faith as a Catholic. A great reading.
Clarence Thomas is a US Supreme Court Justice legendary for his appointment in the 1990s during the reign of President George H.W. Bush. Almost immediately his appointment was regarded with controversy because he remains a strong conservative. A country built upon white and affluent has produced a mistaken belief that anyone who is not of that mold must be a liberal. Clarence Thomas was a black man who grew up poor but under the strong disciplined nature of his loving grandparents as well as the rise of conservative politics in the 1970s and 1980s had Clarence go on a different path that had him end up becoming one of the most conservative voices of the US Federal courts system. But things got worse almost overnight when accusations of sexual harassment by a former colleague named Anita Hill threatened to deny him his place in history. But that same dignity that he inherited from his family, his friends, and the American people supported him to withstand the critics and the majority of the Senate to become the second black US Supreme Court Justice.
But this biography isn't just about the scandal, it's about the rest of his life from being born to a hard-working mother who sent him to live with his grandparents to a man who tried and failed one form of life and became imbittered by the liberal activism of his era. Racism is an ugly part of humanity, but one must never adhere to what is simply popular and easy. You must hold out, and never lose sight that this is a great country and that through faith and hard work, anything is possible.
But more than just the history I loved reading about Clarence Thomas not as the Justice but as the man who loves his wife, Virginia, his vacations traveling around the country, his view on natural law, and of course his faith as a Catholic. A great reading.
July 18, 2024
In the fall I will to be teaching an autobiography/biography class in which we will read 8 books I selected. The class, which I designed, is for charter and homeschooled kids. I wanted the class to be for junior and senior high. I think some moms are eager to push their children into more advanced classes and I might have some young kids in this class. I decided to read this book before my class starts, in case there are any explicit bits due to Anita Hill. Thankfully, there was nothing. I did notice the words "rapes" and "sodomizes" twice on page 89, unrelated to Anita Hill, which comes much later in the book. I don't think the aforementioned words will present a problem, because the class is for 7-12 grade.
It is hard to differentiate my rating this book 5 stars from my rating Clarence Thomas the man 5 stars. They are both 5 stars. The book left me wanting to know more about Justice Thomas, and in general, I don't think we as a country can get enough of him. What an amazing man! What a blessing for the United States!
I've added Justice Thomas to my prayer list and I am looking forward to watching the movie that bears the same title as the book. If I like the movie, my class will also watch it.
It is hard to differentiate my rating this book 5 stars from my rating Clarence Thomas the man 5 stars. They are both 5 stars. The book left me wanting to know more about Justice Thomas, and in general, I don't think we as a country can get enough of him. What an amazing man! What a blessing for the United States!
I've added Justice Thomas to my prayer list and I am looking forward to watching the movie that bears the same title as the book. If I like the movie, my class will also watch it.
Want to read
September 2, 2022In 2021, this project was first released as a DVD documentary. The website for the movie is here:
https://www.justicethomasmovie.com/
The documentary was excellent. On a beautiful evening, my family was part of a cross-cultural group that watched and discussed this excellent, full of the American spirit, film. We had an opportunity to discuss the hardships of Thomas' early life, his career, his difficult confirmation and his work as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Individual conversations have bubbled up long after that initial viewing.
Watching the documentary lead me to Clarence Thomas' memoir, My Grandfather's Son (2007). Incidentally, I remain confused by the subtitle of this new project, "Created Equal: Clarence Thomas In His Own Words," as my Grandfather's Son appears to have been written by neither a ghost writer nor a biographer, but Justice Thomas himself. Don't we already have a book in his published autobiography? My review here:
My Grandfather's Son, Thomas, 2007
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book form of Created Equal: Justice Thomas in his own words is on my to-reads.
https://www.justicethomasmovie.com/
The documentary was excellent. On a beautiful evening, my family was part of a cross-cultural group that watched and discussed this excellent, full of the American spirit, film. We had an opportunity to discuss the hardships of Thomas' early life, his career, his difficult confirmation and his work as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Individual conversations have bubbled up long after that initial viewing.
Watching the documentary lead me to Clarence Thomas' memoir, My Grandfather's Son (2007). Incidentally, I remain confused by the subtitle of this new project, "Created Equal: Clarence Thomas In His Own Words," as my Grandfather's Son appears to have been written by neither a ghost writer nor a biographer, but Justice Thomas himself. Don't we already have a book in his published autobiography? My review here:
My Grandfather's Son, Thomas, 2007
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book form of Created Equal: Justice Thomas in his own words is on my to-reads.
December 27, 2022
This book is based on over seven hours of interviews with Clarence Thomas, as well as additional hours interviewing his wife, Ginni Thomas. Clarence talks about growing up in Savannah, GA and the impact his late grandfather had on his life. His grandfather was very strict and demanding. Despite his third grade education, Clarence's grandfather was a very wise, practical man, and he was devoted to raising Clarence and his siblings properly. The book also traces his background through high school and college, as well as when he served as Head of the EEOC, as well as other legal and administrative positions before mentioning his Supreme Court nomination hearings and successful appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. The entire book is presented as Thomas's responses to interview questions, and it is very interesting. The interview with Ginni is presented in Appendix A, and her responses are equally interesting, providing insight about Clarence as well as herself. I highly recommend the book.
October 14, 2022
When I picked up this book, I did not really know anything about Justice Thomas. But through the pages, the man and his life came alive. From his humble beginnings, his struggles, to his time on the Supreme Court, you will go on an amazing journey. His viewpoints and stances are nothing short of amazing and encouraging. He holds to his convictions and is an overall good guy. This book should be required reading. Highly suggest.
December 25, 2022
Clarence Thomas's unique background and personal history should sing for every American, for he has truly experienced the struggles for Americans of all races, and financial situations. He has been placed on the Supreme Court at a critical time in this nation's history, and has an important role to play in protecting what freedoms we still have, because much has been lost by those who desire to destroy this nation.
July 22, 2022
An American roll model
Justice Clarence Thomas is a great roll model for all Americans. His love of family and country is inspirational. What a great man. Thank you Justice Thomas for forging ahead and standing by your convictions. A very good read. Highly recommended. I say to you Justice Thomas "WELL DONE"!
Justice Clarence Thomas is a great roll model for all Americans. His love of family and country is inspirational. What a great man. Thank you Justice Thomas for forging ahead and standing by your convictions. A very good read. Highly recommended. I say to you Justice Thomas "WELL DONE"!
August 20, 2022
Restores some of my hope and faith in good people working in politics. Hearing this great man’s powerful story of hard work and blessings and his heart for bringing true wisdom into every role he has held gives me great joy. Nowhere else, that I know of, will you find such a great story of perseverance, faith, strength in the face of adversity, and just all-round honorable living.
July 15, 2022
I’m definitely interested in learning more about the lives of those who serve on the Supreme Court. This was such an interesting read, I had no idea he came from such poverty. The litany of humility, so poignant and so comforting.
August 5, 2022
Wonderful book wonderful man
I really enjoyed reading about Justice Thomas' remarkable life. I see him as a genuine American hero and a man of remarkable courage and good character. The film is also very good.
I really enjoyed reading about Justice Thomas' remarkable life. I see him as a genuine American hero and a man of remarkable courage and good character. The film is also very good.
October 2, 2023
I loved hearing about his youth and some of the experiences he went through growing up. I feel I have a better understanding of why he votes the way he does, now that I've read more of who the man himself is.
November 29, 2023
It was a delight to get to know Clarence Thomas through this book. I have come to think of him as one of the greatest Americans, and his story as one of the greatest American stories, as I learned of his life, his struggles, his genius, and his humility.
November 3, 2024
Written as a transcript of a Q&A documentary, this doesn’t read as smoothly as a traditional biography. However, the history and context of his life, as well as his philosophies and jurisprudence, are worth the read. A fascinating man.
November 11, 2025
Overall, it’s a good book and a great introduction to the upbringing and life of Clarence Thomas. I didn’t find a whole lot of takeaways from what was shared in the book, though. It’s a Q&A, interview-style book. I guess I was expecting a little more meat on the bones in terms of content.
July 29, 2022
I loved this book! This would be a great read for anyone.
September 3, 2022
I read My Grandfather's Son, so I already knew some of Justice Thomas's background, but I really enjoyed the interview style and learning more about his judicial philosophy.
September 30, 2022
Interesting read, even if you aren't interested in politics...
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